DOLLS HOUSE FURNITURE

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The earliest records of dolls
houses or baby houses; as they were also called, date back to the sixteenth
century, but these were exclusive, tending to be replicas of wealthy family
homes and were built as a record of the times rather than for hobby or play
purposes.
During the same period wealthy women in Holland and Germany created miniature
houses in a study of contemporary fashion and . During the eighteenth century
cabinet houses began to appear ; where a dolls house was created in the
interior of a beautiful cabinet.

The "doll cabinet" of Sara Ploos van Amstel is one of the best-known
examples and this exquisite work dates back to 1745. However, it was not
until the Victorian era in the late 1800s that dolls houses became truly
popular
.
Though still not seen as a hobby, many a Victorian nursery rang to the joyful
sounds of children playing with the dolls house

In the early 1920s a project was hatched to create ;the ultimate; dolls
house. Queen Mary was an avid collector of miniatures,
and a cousin of the King had the idea of building the house and presenting
it to the Queen.

Sir Edwin Lutyens, a renowned architect of the time, was commissioned for
the project. After the initial shock he accepted the unusual request and
set about the project with great enthusiasm.

"Let us devise and design for all time, something which will enable
future generations to see how a King and Queen lived in the twentieth century,
and what authors, artists and craftsmen of note there were, during their
reign"he was quoted as saying.

This nicely summed up the work which was undertaken. After contributions
from 1,500 tradesmen, artists and authors the house was finally completed
in early 1924 and exhibited at the British Empire Exhibition, to great popular
acclaim.

Built to 1/12th scale, the dolls house measures 102 inches by 58 inches,
and is 60 inches tall. Sir Edwin had to manage a project, which was to involve
most of the great tradesmen and artists of the times.

Great care went into sourcing the items for the house. The list of famous
names contributors is endless ; sewing machine from Singer; real Champagne
from Veuve Clicquot and Mumm; clocks by Cartier; china by Doulton and even
cars from Rolls Royce and
Daimler. All were lovingly crafted to 1/12th scale

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle even wrote a short story (500 words) in a miniature
book for the library.
Exquisite furniture made from exotic woods fills the house;such as the large
Victorian wardrobe veneered in amboyna wood, which can be seen in the Queens
Suite.

A bathroom floor laid in mother of pearl reflects the opulence the dolls
house portrays.Still on display in Windsor Castle, and ever popular with
the public, this is truly a masterful record of a bygone era. It may be
that we can attribute the dolls house hobby, as we know it, to this project.

Many people who saw the house and were inspired by it to collect there own
miniatures. Two of the most well known collectors of
the pre war years were Mrs Thorne, creator of the Thorne Rooms in America
and Mrs Carlisle in England who also created a series of rooms.

Both strove to re-create the ambiance of the periods they represented. Whilst
these works were not dolls houses in the true sense of the words, nevertheless
they were fine examples of miniature house creation and doubtless also enthused
all those
who saw them.The hobby was now growing in to that which we see today, and
since the 1970s
its popularity has continued to grow in leaps and bounds.

During the early 1980s another great dolls house was created. West Wood
House was created by David West, so large that he even managed to get stuck
in it for half an hour, at one stage during the construction.

Other large projects are created from time to time, but in general people
enjoy the dolls house hobby on a smaller scale, but it is no less rewarding
for them because of it.Nowadays the miniature hobbyist has a world of assistance
at their fingertips, unlike their earlier pioneers;.

Shops throughout the world give easy access to
the thousands of items, which go towards the creation of a dolls house.
This not only makes it accessible but affordable.
Books and magazines can help fire the imagination with ideas and tips. Clubs
for dolls house and miniaturist enthusiasts enable ideas to be swapped and
enthusiasm to be shared. From those early beginnings in the 16th century
we now have a hobby that truly reaches the masses and has ;something for
everybody